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Saturday, January 08, 2005

Help Wanted

The world's largest and oldest healthcare, educational, psychological counseling, social welfare, and diversified services organization is seeking men for employment.

Qualifications: Seeking men who are highly disciplined, without dependents or debt, and with the willingness to follow direction without question. Must have superlative moral character, and the ability to observe a strict code of conduct at all times. Intellect, a strong work ethic, and language skills needed. Required is the ability to precisely follow a fixed daily schedule, sometimes without adequate food and rest. Must be prompt at all times, and must not be a late riser. Candidate should have an agreeable demeanor, even when dealing with difficult personalities. Many positions require public speaking. Must have the courage to withstand working around the dead, dying, and those in despair. Ideal candidates may have served in the military, police, emergency services, or in the professions of medicine or law, or in a skilled trade. Should have or be willing to obtain the equivalent of between two and ten years of college education in the liberal arts. Our organization is highly selective; those applying must be motivated to a degree far greater than most.

Benefits: Employees will be paid little or nothing. Room, board, and uniforms will be provided. College and postgraduate education may be provided; as is healthcare, retirement housing, and burial benefit. In most circumstances, the employee will live where he works.

Locations: men urgently needed worldwide, with the greatest need in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. The organization has branches in most cities and towns in the world, as well as in many rural areas. Volunteers are also needed for extremely hazardous duty in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Typically, the employee will be assigned to a particular location and may have to relocate on short notice.

Other Considerations: the qualified candidate must be single, and cannot marry. The candidate must be willing to dispose of all of his property before employment. He will also live with other employees in communal housing. The candidate must be willing to provide labor for the upkeep of the living quarters, and perform kitchen, janitorial, repair, security, or hospitality functions as needed, in addition to the service work of the organization. The employee will be expected to grow in self-discipline and will be always under the guidance of more experience employees.

Term of Employment: Normally for life. New employees will typically undergo a provisional term of employment for two to five years, and then those who are willing, and deemed acceptable, may be offered lifetime employment._________________________________________________

I recently re-read the Rule of Saint Benedict. I first was assigned this book in college as part of a Medieval history class, and I was quite impressed by it, but also discouraged by the amount of work that was required of a monk of that era. Upon rereading the Rule, I realized that modern military men are some of the few living today who have the discipline needed to be a monk. Even Saint Benedict's Rule, in the spirit of the Council of Nicea, is quite relaxed compared to the asceticism of the Early Desert Fathers, but is far too disciplined for the modern man, except for those who do not have comfortable jobs and who deal with life and death daily.

Our Modern world needs Religious vocations. Most people do not pray for themselves, so they need a monk to pray for them. A monastery of brothers can provide a beacon to the world around them, shining with the light of purity, charity, and faith, the lack of which is ruining the lives of so many in the world today.

Notes

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